This weekend's Women’s March in Palm Springs is an important counterpart to other marches being done in Riverside, Los Angeles and other cities where groups are being organized.

As a woman, I have had a person ask me directly, ”Why are women marching? You all have many more rights than women in other countries.”

This comment astonished me.

Yes, women in America do have many rights, and the women who are marching belong to this great country. They are seeking to improve it and make its messages of freedom and liberty that much stronger.

What about the issue of equality itself? So many milestones have been achieved in American history, such as women's suffrage and Roe v. Wade guaranteeing a woman's right to pursue an abortion, but there are still threats to women’s rights in the political and social arena.

Even today, for instance, there are still serious talks in the White House about de-funding Planned Parenthood, a move that would drastically affect health care for women. This is one of the many issues concerning women’s rights in this day and age.

2018 is a fascinating time in history, with issues of women’s rights being aired in a very public forum where a myriad of people are vigorously practicing their First Amendment rights. The presidency of Donald Trump has been a spur, but adding to this momentum is the hearty #metoo movement, which is giving volume to the discussion of women’s rights and the voices advocating these positions.

Women (and men) coming out in Hollywood about assault and coercion in a very exclusive industry have helped bring into focus the question, "What is consent, and how do we know what it is?"

One not need be in a famous actor to have experienced this kind of phenomenon, however. Many outside of the public eye have their own stories of assault, harassment, and assault. And, yes, there is confusion among some when it comes to such a topic: Does an unwanted compliment about physicality count? Does staying silent make the incident one that lacks consent?

The conversation, up to this very moment, continues. In the meantime, many women have come out with their #metoo stories, no longer wanting to be ashamed of their past and wanting to discuss and confront difficult stories of abuse. This is a part of the very fabric that will make up this year’s march.

We cannot lump every marcher together into one category as the marchers will be a diverse group. There are stereotypes concerning people who fit particular labels, but these all are complex human beings with their own specific stories and experiences to share.

They represent the LGBT community, Christians, men, women, baby boomers, millennials .. you get it. Many may align themselves with liberalism, though no doubt some consider themselves moderates or even other political ideologies. I suspect there are even a variety of views of the #metoo movement itself. But do the differences and labels matter? In the end, they all march in solidarity, wanting peace, wanting to create awareness, wanting respect and acknowledging the equality of rights, especially for women.